With the Ravens counting down to the Week 4 kickoff in Denver on Sunday afternoon, I’ve offered a dozen thoughts, each in 50 words or less:
1. Though we’ve heard nothing to suggest Lamar Jackson won’t be able to play, a back issue sidelining him for multiple practices before a lengthy flight to Denver isn’t ideal. When Jackson missed two practices ahead of last year’s Week 5 home win over Cincinnati, he wasn’t at his best.
2. Coaches have explained it’s simply what defenses have given the Ravens, but Jackson leading the NFL in yards per completion and ranking seventh in yards per attempt is encouraging for the downfield passing game. Baltimore must be aggressive when a stingy Broncos defense affords the chance to take a shot.
3. Despite Jackson not having much of a relationship with Teddy Bridgewater, Sunday marks a meeting between two South Florida natives who starred at Louisville and were selected with the 32nd pick in their respective draft years. In other words, many folks outside Baltimore and Denver will be watching with pride.
4. Bridgewater faces criticism for not making big plays and turning it over too frequently for a game manager, but he currently ranks third in QBR and hasn’t committed a turnover, albeit against three winless opponents. He’s also been strong against the blitz, creating an interesting test for both sides.
Per @PFF, Teddy Bridgewater's passer rating when pressured is 111.5, the fifth-best in the league.
Last year, these were the ratings of the Broncos' QBs when pressured:
Driskel: 42.6
Rypien: 27.0
Lock: 26.2
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5. Though Alejandro Villanueva and Patrick Mekari did a commendable job against Kansas City’s rush two weeks ago, Von Miller is a different breed and has nearly as many sacks (four) as Baltimore’s entire defense (five). The 32-year-old doesn’t look like he’s skipped a beat after last year’s ankle injury.
6. Asked what he’s seen from Patrick Queen and Malik Harrison thus far, Wink Martindale tried to stay positive while offering few specifics (below). Opposing offensive coordinators would be wise to continue attacking Baltimore’s off-ball linebackers in space with running backs and tight ends until they do something about it.
7. Greg Roman and Broncos head coach Vic Fangio were previously on the same coaching staffs for Carolina, Baltimore, Stanford, and San Francisco. That should make for quite a chess match between an offensive coordinator and defensive-minded head coach very familiar with one another.
8. Asked about Ty’Son Williams, Roman spoke in general terms about the running backs and mentioned stats often being “misleading.” You get the sense that coaches believe Williams has left too many plays on the field despite a 6.1 yards per carry average. Might Le’Veon Bell finally get a look Sunday?
9. I understand excitement about Rashod Bateman returning to practice seven weeks after undergoing groin surgery, but I’d be surprised to see the first-round rookie play against Denver. Let the young man get back into football shape and stack some practices with Jackson. A former Ravens wide receiver offered wise perspective.
10. Though Derek Wolfe undoubtedly had this one circled on his calendar after playing the first eight years of his career in Denver, the veteran defensive end will miss his fourth straight game and still hasn’t practiced since Aug. 23. It has to be frustrating for both him and the Ravens.
811. Signed by Baltimore as an undrafted rookie in 2017, Tim Patrick was cut in the first week of training camp. The 6-foot-4 receiver landed in Denver and registered 51 catches for 742 yards and six touchdowns last year. Good for him to carve out a meaningful role with the Broncos.
12. With Denver wanting to show its 3-0 start isn’t solely because of a soft schedule and Baltimore wanting to prove last week’s shaky performance was an aberration, this is an appealing matchup. Given how 2021 has started, however, I expect nothing less than a finish exceeding the Mile High Miracle.
